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First SRT climbs

Jay_Disarray

Jay_Disarray

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2019
Messages
1,950
Location
MN
I've been squirreling away a bit of cash for a while, so I bought a safeguard from DanO at www.doublesteps.com (shameless, but I don't apologise). First off love the safeguard so far, the more I use it the more familiar I become.

While at the store I picked up a length of Mason twine for a throw line, and 50ft of paracord to give SRT a try, if nothing else but a quick spot to shoot saddle at height in my back yard.

Boy I got respect for those guys out there climbing this method and drt. Really a workout. I tied off a piece of webbing for a shorter bridge, which significantly helps.


It feels good, occasionally hard to balance on the foot loop, as I haven't really figured the proper method. I sold my duck and my hand ascender comes next week, so I'm using my autoblock which can be a bit of a struggle sometimes. I thought that between the safeguard and my autoblock I wouldn't really need a Kong for 1 sticking, and have the option of bringing with a hand ascender for occasional SRT climbs.

I still plan to one stick up next year but plan to leave paracord in a tree or two for future options, especially way back where I might not want to carry a stick.

A slick little method to have in the toolbox, and I think worth adding
 
As Aaron already mentioned, a hand ascender with foot loop will make climbing a cinch. I bought full length hawk sticks last year and I still prefer SRT over sticks even with the hassle of a throw line. Put out preset lines and you don't even have to worry about that!

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Hand ascender should be here Tuesday, just making due with what I have on hand atm.

I timed myself from rope cinched around the tree to pretty much hunting ready, including strapping on my tree steps and I was @ 12 ft and hunt ready in 12 minutes. It could have been less but initially I put my steps too high and needed to fix them
 
Never used that one. I use a cheap $20 one from Amazon as it's not life critical if it fails. So far, almost a year of use (climb recreational as well) with no issues.

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Jay_Disarray said:
I've been squirreling away a bit of cash for a while, so I bought a safeguard from DanO at www.doublesteps.com (shameless, but I don't apologise). First off love the safeguard so far, the more I use it the more familiar I become.

While at the store I picked up a length of Mason twine for a throw line, and 50ft of paracord to give SRT a try, if nothing else but a quick spot to shoot saddle at height in my back yard.

Boy I got respect for those guys out there climbing this method and drt. Really a workout. I tied off a piece of webbing for a shorter bridge, which significantly helps.


It feels good, occasionally hard to balance on the foot loop, as I haven't really figured the proper method. I sold my duck and my hand ascender comes next week, so I'm using my autoblock which can be a bit of a struggle sometimes. I thought that between the safeguard and my autoblock I wouldn't really need a Kong for 1 sticking, and have the option of bringing with a hand ascender for occasional SRT climbs.

I still plan to one stick up next year but plan to leave paracord in a tree or two for future options, especially way back where I might not want to carry a stick.

A slick little method to have in the toolbox, and I think worth adding
Click to expand...

Why did you sell your duck? He was cool.

I started climbing DRT this year and tried SRT a few weeks ago. It’s basically all one movement you have to remember to keep your heel under you butt and not out in front of you so you can just push down while ascending you’re hand ascender. It’s synchronized movement. I was fighting my foot with my hand ascender forgetting to raise my leg while ascending with my hand. Then it all clicked. I find DRT a little easier and quieter. Not too mention less gear to pack.


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ap_rustic_creations said:
Why did you sell your duck? He was cool.
Click to expand...

cuz with my safeguard and accessory cord a hand ascender is more useful to me than a duck i guess. With this setup all i really need to carry is the prusik, safeguard, and their respective carabiners. The hand ascender i can carry with in place of my stick when i want to do an srt climb instead of 1sticking.

ap_rustic_creations said:
It’s basically all one movement you have to remember to keep your heel under you butt and not out in front of you so you can just push down while ascending you’re hand ascender. It’s synchronized movement. I was fighting my foot with my hand ascender forgetting to raise my leg while ascending with my hand.
Click to expand...

Ill remember that and try it out next time I do a climb, thanks
 
Between one stick and SRT, do you notice a difference in how winded or sweaty you get?

When it gets later season I hate a layer of sweat after a tough climb freezing on me.
 
Stags said:
Between one stick and SRT, do you notice a difference in how winded or sweaty you get?

When it gets later season I hate a layer of sweat after a tough climb freezing on me.
Click to expand...

i think srt is probably more strenuous but its a brand new method to me right now, and i think the more i do it the easier it will get. Im not worried being quiet right now either, so that probably effects my speed climbing srt a bit as well.
 
Jay_Disarray said:
i think srt is probably more strenuous but its a brand new method to me right now, and i think the more i do it the easier it will get. Im not worried being quiet right now either, so that probably effects my speed climbing srt a bit as well.
Click to expand...
Makes total sense. I will have to give it a go for myself to see, but all th extra motion of tossing the throw line and the actual climbing has me a bit worried that I will be huffing and puffing at the top with a scent that can be noticed for miles.... Maybe I should do more cardio...
 
Stags said:
Makes total sense. I will have to give it a go for myself to see, but all th extra motion of tossing the throw line and the actual climbing has me a bit worried that I will be huffing and puffing at the top with a scent that can be noticed for miles.... Maybe I should do more cardio...
Click to expand...


i dont have a throw bag or proper throw rope myself, i just tied a socket onto the end of a length of mason line for throwing, its actually pretty easy. i tried with paracord, but that is much more difficult. I figured spending $2 on a mason line would be a cheap way to see how hard it is to throw a line
 
Stags said:
Makes total sense. I will have to give it a go for myself to see, but all th extra motion of tossing the throw line and the actual climbing has me a bit worried that I will be huffing and puffing at the top with a scent that can be noticed for miles.... Maybe I should do more cardio...
Click to expand...
This is where preset lines are valuable. If you know where you're going to hunt, go preseason and set up set lines. When you get there to hunt, you tie your climbing line to the set line and pull it up and around.

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Jay_Disarray said:
i think srt is probably more strenuous but its a brand new method to me right now, and i think the more i do it the easier it will get. Im not worried being quiet right now either, so that probably effects my speed climbing srt a bit as well.
Click to expand...

I’ve climbed SRT several times and I find it easy with a hand ascender and foot loop. I tried one sticking for the first time today and I felt it required a lot more effort than SRT. I point this out to say that a new method will likely be awkward and more difficult than one you’ve practiced.

I feel SRT is simple. I feel I’m infinitely more likely to work up a sweat walking to my hunting location than I would climbing SRT. My 11 year old daughter regularly climbs SRT and DRT just for fun. Both can be fairly easy when you get the technique down.


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sdoyle1 said:
I feel I’m infinitely more likely to work up a sweat walking to my hunting location than I would climbing SRT.
Click to expand...
That is great to put into perspective.

I definitely like the idea of preset lines for places I know I will hunt. One point of going more mobile is to have to option to hunt a hot spot I discover day-of, so I guess nothing will beat practice.
 
Stags said:
That is great to put into perspective.

I definitely like the idea of preset lines for places I know I will hunt. One point of going more mobile is to have to option to hunt a hot spot I discover day-of, so I guess nothing will beat practice.
Click to expand...

I plan on doing some presets as well. I feel I could do an afternoon hunt with a throw line easy enough. I don’t think throwing the line is the difficult part. I found most of the problem with the throw line is actually being able to stand where I want to throw from with no brush in my way. Given a decent sized crotch in the tree and an open area to throw from I feel I could make the throw up to 30 feet pretty consistently. It’s when you have no good place to throw from it gets much more difficult. I’d strongly suggest a throw line cube as well. I tried other approaches and then when I ordered my predator rope for DRT from wesspur I ordered a throw line cube as well. It feel it makes a big difference for me.


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My SRT setup and my Wild Edge Perch is definitely the lightest, smoothest, and fastest setup I have, once your throw line is in the tree. I can only imagine trying to toss my throw line in the dark on a morning hunt (I've gotten pretty good, but...)... I will be doing several pre-set paracord loops in areas that I may hunt. I don't really see it being an issue in the afternoon with plenty of light. I will second @sdoyle1, though, buy yourself a decent throw line cube! I'm getting rid of my basic setup since I now have the WesSpur mid-grade one.
 
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